Efforts have been made to provide high density and high quality recording signals in a recording/playback apparatus such as audio tape recorder or VTR (video tape recorder). So-called metal tape including powders of a ferromagnetic metal such as iron as magnetic powders and so-called vacuum deposited tape on which a ferromagnetic metal material is directly deposited upon a base film by a vacuum thin film forming technique have been practically used.
In order to perform an excellent recording/reproducing by making effective use of the characteristics of the above mentioned magnetic recording medium having a high coercive force, the core material of a magnetic head should possess a high saturated magnetic flux density. The core material should also possess a high permeability particularly if reproducing is performed by the same magnetic head.
Since recording/reproducing is performed by a magnetic head while a gap portion of a core is in contact with the magnetic recording medium, the gap portion has to be constantly in contact with the magnetic recording medium in a good manner. Accordingly, it is essential that such a core material has wear and corrosion resistances as well as the above mentioned magnetic characteristics so that the gap portion will not change its shape due to wear occurring by the running of the magnetic recording medium thereon.
Therefore, development of an amorphous soft magnetic material having these soft magnetic characteristics has heretofore been made. Those amorphous soft magnetic materials do not have a crystal magnetic anisotropy and have various excellent characteristics such as high permeability and are thus remarkably suitable for the core material of the magnetic head.
A Co--Zr amorphous soft magnetic material among the amorphous magnetic materials has attracted attention since it has a high saturated magnetic flux density. However, a third additive is generally added for adjustment of the magnetostriction since this amorphous soft magnetic materials has a comparatively high magnetostriction constant. Various amorphous soft magnetic material in which the Co--Zr magnetic material is added with a third additive have been proposed.
A Co--Zr--Pd amorphous soft magnetic material in which the Co--Zr magnetic material is added with Pd is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Sho 61-188908. This amorphous soft magnetic material has a high saturated magnetic flux density, a low magnetostriction constant and also has excellent characteristics for the core material of the magnetic head.
However, this Co--Zr--Pd amorphous soft magnetic material has low wear and corrosion resistances. A magnetic core including such a magnetic material is gradually worn at the gap portion on recording and/or reproducing so that it will be incapable of sufficiently applying a magnetic field upon a magnetic recording medium and is incapable of achieving excellent recording and/or recording for a long period of time. Use of this magnetic material for the magnetic head causes a problem in wear resistance.
Therefore, the present invention was made in view of these circumstances of the prior art. It is an object of the present invention to provide an amorphous soft magnetic material which has a high saturated magnetic flux density and a low magnetostriction constant and which is excellent in wear and corrosion resistances.